Can a Company Put a Publication's Logo on Its Website as “As Seen In”?

Why Is a Publication's Logo Different From Its Name?

Both are trademarks, but a logo strip borrows the publication's own artwork to vouch for the company. Federal trademark law makes a business liable when it uses “any word, term, name, symbol, or device” in a way that “is likely to cause confusion, or to cause mistake, or to deceive as to the affiliation, connection, or association of such person with another person, or as to the origin, sponsorship, or approval of his or her goods, services, or commercial activities by another person” (15 U.S.C. §1125(a)(1)(A)). Registered marks add a claim for use “without the consent of the registrant” where confusion is likely (15 U.S.C. §1114).

The risk in a logo strip is the word “approval”: a row of mastheads can read as if the outlets vouch for the company. This is not legal advice.

When Can a Company Name a Publication Without Permission?

When it uses only what it needs to say something true. The leading case is New Kids on the Block v. News America Publishing, Inc., 971 F.2d 302 (9th Cir. 1992). The Ninth Circuit held that a commercial user can rely on a “nominative fair use” defense if three requirements are met: “First, the product or service in question must be one not readily identifiable without use of the trademark; second, only so much of the mark or marks may be used as is reasonably necessary to identify the product or service; and third, the user must do nothing that would, in conjunction with the mark, suggest sponsorship or endorsement by the trademark holder” (Caselaw Access Project).

The second requirement is where logos come in. The court said the newspapers in that case did “not use the New Kids’ distinctive logo or anything else that isn’t needed,” and in a footnote that a soft drink competitor could name Coca-Cola but “would not be entitled to use Coca-Cola’s distinctive lettering.” In Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. v. Tabari, 610 F.3d 1171 (9th Cir. 2010), the court agreed that a broker's use of the stylized Lexus mark and “Lexus L” logo was more than necessary, saying the brokers “could adequately communicate their message without using the visual trappings of the Lexus brand” (Caselaw Access Project). The Third Circuit's version of the test, in Century 21 Real Estate Corp. v. LendingTree, Inc., 425 F.3d 211 (3d Cir. 2005), likewise asks about “distinctive lettering” versus “block letters” (Caselaw Access Project).

None of these cases involved a press logo strip, and circuits apply the doctrine differently. Our reading, not a holding: “Featured in Forbes” in plain type, linked to the article, uses the name to state a fact; a logo in a header row uses the artwork and leans toward implied endorsement. This is not legal advice.

What Do Publishers' Own Licensing Pages Say?

That promotional logo use is licensed. Forbes's Accolades page says: “Promotional use of the Forbes logo, Award Logo or content requires a license. Creating your own award logo using the Forbes name or trademark is a violation and will be subject to review” (Forbes Accolades). Its permissions page adds that “Forbes writers and contributors are not authorized to approve the use of any content attributed to Forbes” (Forbes), so a reporter's friendly reply is not a license.

Sources: Forbes Accolades, Forbes licensing store, Wright's Media (Forbes Vetted), Wright's Media (New York Times), PARS (Entrepreneur), PARS guidelines.

The New York Times help center says that “all use of New York Times content (text, photographs, graphics, video etc.) requires the prior written permission of The New York Times,” with accolade licensing handled by Wright's Media (NYT Help). PARS's general guidelines say: “Logos & Accolades are copyrighted and trademarked content so all uses must be licensed and approved,” and “Customers may not create or modify logo files” (PARS). Entrepreneur's footer links “Reprints, Plaques & Badge Licensing” to PARS (Entrepreneur).

One gap: these pages center on lists, awards and picks, and none addresses an ordinary news mention directly, though Forbes's “Promotional use” line is not limited to lists.

What Does a Logo License Cost?

Only the Forbes | SHOOK store publishes prices. Its Award Logo, a “Single Logo Use License” with a “Term Length” of “12 Months,” is listed at $2,500. Its rankings are SHOOK's wealth-advisor and financial-security lists, so the price is a reference point, not a Forbes rate card.

The chart shows that the one store product cleared for a website costs more than three times any of the four physical displays, which the store says “are for display only and may not be posted online or digitally reproduced in lieu of the appropriate digital license.”

A photographed plaque is not a shortcut. For award entry fees, see what business awards cost.

Does a Paid or Sponsored Placement Change the Answer?

It raises the stakes. The FTC's Endorsement Guides say an endorsement includes any promotional message consumers are likely to believe reflects the views of a party other than the advertiser, and that “the name or seal of an organization can be endorsements” (16 CFR §255.0(b)). An endorsement “may not convey any express or implied representation that would be deceptive if made directly by the advertiser” (16 CFR §255.1(a)). The Guides apply Section 5 of the FTC Act, which bars “unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or affecting commerce” (15 U.S.C. §45).

A sponsored article is advertising and is labeled as such on the publisher's site (see how paid content must be labeled). Its logo under an unlabeled “As Seen In” can imply the newsroom chose to cover the company; whether that deceives depends on the facts. The FTC's 2024 rule on reviews and testimonials (16 CFR Part 465) targets fake consumer reviews and consumer or celebrity testimonials; the text we read does not address press logos. For the wider rules, see what the FTC requires for paid placement. This is not legal advice.

Forbes also licenses paid media rights separately from owned use. Our recommendation, not a rule: do not show a sponsored outlet's logo in an “As Seen In” strip; if the piece is listed at all, list it as “Sponsored”.

What Should a Company Do Before Adding the Strip?

This sequence is our recommendation, not a publisher rule.

1. Find the licensing agent. Forbes uses its Accolades team and store, Forbes Vetted and The New York Times use Wright's Media, and Entrepreneur uses PARS. Go through the agent, not the reporter.
2. Match the license to the use. Owned website use and paid ads are priced and licensed separately at Forbes and PARS.
3. Diary the term. Forbes sells 12 months; PARS sells one-time or up to 12 months. Remove the logo when it lapses.
4. Use the supplied file unchanged. PARS bars customer-made or modified logos, and Forbes calls a home-made award logo a violation.
5. Without a license, use text. Publication name in plain type, article title, date and link, ideally on a press page (see how to create an online newsroom).

For the reverse case, see whether a podcast can use your name in ads; reposting the article itself is covered in republishing your own bylined article.

What This Means for Anyone Buying a Placement

A placement and a logo license are separate purchases. Coverage, earned or paid as disclosed sponsored content, does not transfer the publisher's trademark rights, and a vendor cannot grant what the publisher has not. Ask any vendor whether logo use is included, in what media and for how long, in writing, and expect advertising rights to cost extra. For lists, note Forbes's statement that “candidates do not pay any fee to be considered or selected”; the fee is for promoting it.

Methodology and Limitations

Four limits apply. First, all pages were read October 12, 2026; terms and prices change, and agents approve uses case by case. Second, only Forbes's SHOOK store published prices; Wright's Media and PARS did not, and we bought no license. Third, the cases are Ninth and Third Circuit law; we found none on a press logo strip and did not survey other circuits. Fourth, we cover four publishers, not the market. We dropped a law-firm alert we could not open.

Conclusion

A company can say, accurately, that a publication covered it. Showing the publication's logo is different: Forbes, The New York Times and Entrepreneur's agent each describe promotional logo use as licensed, with a term, a scope and often a fee, and the leading fair use cases treat a logo as more of the mark than a factual mention needs. The uncomfortable part for a buyer is that the strip many sites treat as free decoration is, on the publishers' own pages, a product. Without a license, plain text and a link is the cautious choice. This is not legal advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

Built from the licensing and permissions pages of Forbes, the Forbes | SHOOK licensing store, Wright's Media (Forbes Vetted and The New York Times), PARS International (Entrepreneur) and The New York Times Help Center, plus the Lanham Act, three federal appeals decisions and the FTC's Endorsement Guides, all read on October 12, 2026. Prices were checked October 2026. The step list and the advice on sponsored outlets are our recommendations, not publisher rules. We bought no license and reviewed no case on a press logo strip. This is not legal advice.

1. publisher policy Forbes, Accolades. Supports the license requirement for promotional logo use, the home-made logo warning, paid media rights and the no-fee selection statement. Read October 12, 2026.
2. publisher policy Forbes, Permissions & Data Licensing. Supports the written-permission requirement and that writers and contributors cannot approve use. Read October 12, 2026.
3. publisher policy Forbes | SHOOK licensing store, Award Logo, with product pages Deluxe Logo Wall Display, Crystal Desktop Award, Logo Wall Display, Logo Desktop Display and Products. Supports the chart prices, 12-month term, use terms and display-only restriction. Read October 12, 2026.
4. licensing agent Wright's Media, Forbes Vetted - Licensing and Content Reuse. Supports Forbes Vetted logo licensing uses and quote reuse. Read October 12, 2026.
5. licensing agent Wright's Media, The New York Times | Licensing & Permissions. Supports NYT logo licensing and the fee statement. Read October 12, 2026.
6. publisher policy The New York Times, Obtaining and using Times content. Supports the prior-written-permission requirement and Wright's Media role. Read October 12, 2026.
7. licensing agent PARS International, Entrepreneur and Logo and Accolade Use Guidelines. Support the authorized-agent role, license uses and terms, and the no-modification rule. Read October 12, 2026.
8. publisher policy Entrepreneur, Entrepreneur Leadership Network Writer Guidelines. Supports the footer link to PARS licensing. Read October 12, 2026.
9. statute 15 U.S.C. §1125, §1114 and §45, Legal Information Institute. Support the false-association, registered-mark and Section 5 language. Read October 12, 2026.
10. court U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, New Kids on the Block v. News America Publishing, Inc., 971 F.2d 302, July 24, 1992, and Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. v. Tabari, 610 F.3d 1171, July 8, 2010; Third Circuit, Century 21 Real Estate Corp. v. LendingTree, Inc., 425 F.3d 211, October 11, 2005 (Caselaw Access Project texts). Support the nominative fair use test and the logo and lettering points. Read October 12, 2026.
11. regulator Federal Trade Commission, 16 CFR §255.0, §255.1 and Part 465 (eCFR). Support the endorsement definition, the deception rule and the scope of the 2024 reviews rule. Read October 12, 2026.